Process Excellence Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

We're looking for a Process Excellence Manager to join Wayve's Systems & Insights team, helping design and scale the operational systems that power our global Fleet Operations. This role is ideal for a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (or equivalent) who thrives in dynamic, high-growth environments and has a proven track record of driving measurable improvement in operational performance.

You'll lead critical process improvement initiatives across our global test network-spanning the UK and international sites-working cross-functionally to reduce waste, improve process stability, and enable repeatable, high-quality delivery at scale. This role is key to our transformation from an R&D-focused operation to a world-class, delivery-grade AV test organisation.

• Process Mapping & Design
  Lead end-to-end analysis and documentation of core Fleet Ops workflows. Define AS-IS processes, identify gaps, and establish TO-BE standards using BPMN or equivalent notation.
  
• Lean Six Sigma Project Leadership
  Drive structured improvement projects using Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies (DMAIC, Kaizen, etc.) to improve efficiency, quality, and throughput.
  
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  Work with regional teams and functional stakeholders to standardise operations, eliminate non-value-adding activities, and improve reliability of critical processes.
  
• Operational Frameworks
  Define and implement SLAs, SOPs, escalation procedures, and RACI/decision matrices across key workflows.
  
• Visual Management & Tracking
  Introduce KPIs, dashboards, and other visual tools to track process performance and drive accountability across the organisation. Use data analytics and SQL to monitor process performance, identify bottlenecks, and quantify improvements.
  
• Automation Readiness
  Partner with software, data, and infrastructure teams to scope and support automation of repetitive or high-volume tasks.
  
• Operational Scaling Advisory
  Serve as a strategic partner to Ops leadership, applying structured problem-solving to key growth and scalability challenges.
  
• Change Enablement & Coaching
  Champion continuous improvement across Fleet Ops. Coach teams on best practices in process design and operational excellence.
  

You combine a systems-thinking mindset with hands-on operational experience. You are rigorous, pragmatic, and action-oriented. You're passionate about making complex systems work better-and have the skills to drive real change.

• 5+ years' experience in process improvement, operations design, or operational excellence roles in high-complexity environments (e.g., tech, logistics, robotics, manufacturing, or mobility).
• Certified or equivalent experience running high-impact continuous improvement initiatives.
• Deep experience with workflow mapping, process documentation (BPMN), and standardisation.
• Strong facilitation skills: able to lead workshops and interviews with technical and frontline stakeholders.
• Skilled in SQL and data analysis; able to pull data and build or interpret dashboards and trackers.
• Familiar with incident management, readiness reviews, and risk/control frameworks.
• Proven ability to influence across teams and functions, including remote/global stakeholders.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills (e.g. documentation, SOPs, presentations).
• Comfortable with tools such as Confluence, Asana/Jira, Lucidchart, or equivalent. 
• Experience implementing task management tools and working with internal tools on operational product development. 
• Ability to travel internationally up to 40% of the time, to support process design and change adaptation across all operational sites. 

• Experience in autonomous systems, robotics or field operations.
• Exposure to process mining tools (e.g. Celonis, UiPath Process Mining).
• Experience supporting scaling in global, distributed teams.
• Team management or mentoring experience.

We understand that everyone has a unique set of skills and experiences and that not everyone will meet all of the requirements listed above. If you're passionate about self-driving cars and think you have what it takes to make a positive impact on the world, we encourage you to apply.

This role is a full-time role based in Sunnyvale, CA (hybrid) and the reasonably estimated salary for this role ranges from $171,000 to $229,000, plus a competitive equity package. Actual compensation is based on the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience.